The search and rescue operations continue in earnest following the tragic boat accident on Sunday, 17th August 2025, in the Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State, with 22 people still reported missing.
This is as stakeholders in the nation’s inland waterways identified poor marking of the inland waterways, poor passenger use of life jackets, the absence of boat certification, waterways infrastructure such as jetties, night voyages, and archaic cultural beliefs as causes of boat mishaps on the nation’s inland waterways.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed the recovery of three bodies on Tuesday. The victims were found in the river near the Kojiyo, Bari, and Wuci communities. The recovery was made possible through the coordinated efforts of NEMA, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and local divers.
To enhance the rescue efforts, NEMA’s team lead, Aliyu Shehu Kafindangi, secured support from the Nigerian Air Force Disaster Response Unit (DRU) of the 119 Composite Group. He briefed the Commander, Group Captain US Maibuhu, urging the unit to maintain vigilance in their search activities.
The operation has been bolstered by dam management measures holding back the water, which has lowered the river’s water level and improved the efficiency of the search.
NEMA reassured the public that all efforts would continue until every missing person is found, with updates to be provided as the situation develops. The search persists with urgency as communities hold on to hope for the safe recovery of the 22 still missing.
Meanwhile, speaking to LEADERSHIP, the Niger State Commissioner for Transport, Hajiya Hadiza Idris Kuta, said her ministry provided one hundred and fifty life jackets to Guni boat operators before the accident and expressed her dismay as to why the passengers who lost their lives in the accident refused to use them.
She appealed to traditional leaders, especially the association of boat operators, to ensure its usage, as the government would not take it lightly if anyone were caught disobeying the rule.
Also speaking, the chairman of Munya local government area in Niger State, Aminu Najume, said the council had been sensitising residents to the dangers of night travel, overloading, and failure to wear life jackets while boarding boats.
He disclosed that while many had complied with safety guidelines on the inland waterways, others remain negligent, which he said was responsible for recent tragedies.
Citing a recent boat accident in the area, Najume explained that passengers who wore life jackets were rescued, while those without them lost their lives.
“The Ministry of Transport and the state government have done a lot, especially by providing life jackets. Those who wore them survived, but those who didn’t perished,” he said. “Unfortunately, people in rural areas often prioritise transporting goods over safety.”
To address the challenge, Najume emphasised the need for enforcement, sustained sensitisation, and improved water transport infrastructure. He appealed to the Niger State Government to intensify safety measures in riverine areas.
However, the Etsu Nupe and chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, expressed deep frustration over the recurring loss of lives in boat accidents, which he said were largely preventable if regulations were adhered to.
Abubakar decried a pattern of indiscipline among some boat operators and passengers, including habitual boat overloading, transporting goods far beyond capacity, and neglecting the use of life jackets.
He warned that those unsafe practices, coupled with a lack of enforcement, would continue to cause tragedies on Niger State’s rivers and waterways.
“We cannot continue to watch our people die in accidents that could have been avoided. The government must issue safety directives, ensure strict enforcement, and prosecute anyone violating these laws,” he declared.
